Stress Dreams
by stupidsexymustang
Summary: The stress of the future brings up memories of the past. First Prompt for Royai Week '15, "Dreams".


**_A/N: For the first prompt in Royai Week 2015, "Dreams". I do not own anything. Enjoy!_**

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Riza was balancing on her toes on the rocks while Roy sat on the bank reading. Her movement was distracting. Roy already didn't like water very much and watching her hop around on the rocks that jutted out of the lake was making him uneasy. She had great balance, but if she slipped...

"Would you quit jumping around? You're gonna fall and die." Riza snorted.

"No, I won't." Roy rolled his eyes and went back to his book.

"You're in a mood. What bug crawled up your shorts?" Roy scrunched up his nose.

"No bug. You're just distracting."

"Then go inside and read if you don't want to be distracted. You're the one who came out here." Roy stuck his tongue out at her and she copied the gesture.

To tell the truth, Roy had zero desire to go back inside. He had zero desire to not be near her. Ever since he had come back from Central after staying with his Aunt Chris for the summer, Roy had noticed how much Riza had...changed. It was like she had battled puberty while he'd been gone and come out the victor. She was taller, and had gotten an actual curve to her, and she had...developed in other areas...

Roy gulped and stuffed his nose in his alchemy text, trying to ignore her. He could hear her laugh, though, and he smiled in spite of himself. Then suddenly he heard a scream, and a splash. Roy's head shot up and he jumped to his feet. No Riza.

Roy threw the book and began running down the bank, pulling off his vest and shirt, kicking off his shoes once he got to the edge. He could see her now, under the water a little ways downstream. He jumped right in and began swimming to her. He thanked whatever god was up there that the current was slow today, the water not too deep. Roy had never been a strong swimmer, but this he could handle.

After too long (too long too long she's not coming up she's been under there too long), Roy finally reached her. Lifting Riza's head out of the water (she's gray why is she gray) and wrapping one arm around her, he began swimming back to shore, clutching her tightly. He reached the bank much faster than it took him to get to her, and he pulled her out of the water and gathered her into his arms.

And then they were no longer on the bank of the lake behind her house, they were in a dark room underground. His Riza's hair was longer, she was older, but her eyes were still closed and there...blood, there was blood everywhere. That man had sliced her neck and the life was draining out of her as fast as the blood was pouring out and onto the ground but she was in his arms and Roy had to stop the bleeding he had to get her to wake up, wake up Lieutenant, wake up, wake up

"WAKE UP!" Roy screamed and shot up in his bed. Panting, his eyes darted, assessing everything around him. _'This is your room,'_ he remembered. _'Riza is fine,'_ he told himself. They had been kids when she had almost drowned, he rememembered. He had pulled her onto the bank and given her mouth to mouth...she had been okay. And on The Promised Day...the little girl, Mei, had stopped the bleeding. Roy had held her in his arms and she had been okay. These dreams were memories, horrible, awful memories. He didn't usually dream in memories. Usually only when he was terribly stressed. He'd be returning to full-time duty on Monday. Rumor was that a promotion was about to come along with it, for everything he had done during The Promised Day. At this moment, still reeling from the effects of the dream, the only thing Roy cared about was that Riza hadn't died that day. No thanks to him. He had put her in so much danger.

He needed to talk to her. He needed to hear her voice, to confirm that she was okay. What if something had happened? What if these dreams were a warning? ' _Remember when you almost lost her? It's happening again...'_ the night seemed to whisper to him. Roy threw off his blankets and crossed to the phone in three steps. He picked up the handle and dialed.

After the first 4 digits he slammed the phone down. _'You're being a child. It was just a dream. Just a bad dream,'_ Roy told himself. _'You can't call her in the middle of the night like some poor lovesick fool.'_ But the thoughts refused reassure him. He could feel his body still shaking, and his chest was tight. Roy picked up the receiver and dialed again.

He stood there, waiting, as the phone rang and rang. Three rings...four rings...Roy put his hand on his forehead and closed his eye. _Oh god what if she..._

"Mmmhh...hello?" Roy's eyes snapped open.

"Lieutenant!"

"Colonel? Sir, what's wrong!"

Roy felt the weight lift off his chest as relief washed over him.

"Nothing. Nothing, everything's fine." He could almost hear her eyes narrow.

"Somehow I don't believe that, sir."

Roy sighed. "Bad dreams. Very bad dreams. I...I..." Roy stopped, and swallowed.

"I needed you. To...to hear your voice." This part of their relationship was still new to him, actually telling her how he felt. He had been forced to hide it for so long. She had always known, but they so rarely ever said anything out loud. The Promised Day had changed everything.

"I needed to know you were okay."

Much to his relief, Riza's voice was soft and kind in response. "I'm fine. Really." Roy sighed, grateful.

"Okay. Good...stay that way. I'm sorry I woke you in the middle of the night."

"To be honest, I'm glad you called." Roy felt his face flush and he grinned.

"Really?"

"Yes. You actually woke me from some pretty terrible dreams of my own. So thank you, sir."

"I miss you, Riza." The words fell out before he had a chance to stop them. He just needed her to know.

"Sir, you saw me today." But there was a smile in her voice.

"Does that matter?" Riza breathed out a small laugh and Roy smirked.

"No, no I suppose it doesn't." She paused for a moment.

"I miss you, too, Roy." That was all he needed.

"You know, I'd sleep a lot better if you were here."

"I'm not coming over, sir."

Roy closed his eyes. He'd crossed a line. He just wanted to see her so badly. He knew he wouldn't sleep until he saw her, until he held her. But she wasn't ready for that, and he respected her needs.

"That's fine, I..."

"However," she interrupted, "if you want to come over here...I would welcome the company."

Roy's jaw dropped and spread into a grin.

"I think I can handle that, Lieutenant. See you soon."

"See you soon...Roy."

Roy hung up and threw on the first shirt and pants he could get his hands on. He grabbed his coat and was out the door in three minutes. It was about a ten minute walk to Riza's apartment. Roy made it there in six. He knocked twice and after a moment, the door opened, with Riza in the doorway. She had on pink pajama pants, an oversized white shirt, and her long hair was mussed. It was the most beautiful he had ever seen her, and he couldn't control the smile from spreading on his face. Here she was, no blood, no gray, whole and perfect.

"Hey," he breathed.

"Hello."

Riza cocked an eyebrow at him just standing in the hall, grinning foolishly at her.

"Would you like to come in?" Roy blinked rapidly, pulling himself out of his daze.

"Yes, please."

Riza stepped aside to let him in and as soon as he entered, Roy had to contend with Black Hayate's affections. The small pup danced around his legs and placed his front paws on Roy's thigh. Roy scratched him behind the ears. "Hey, buddy. You taking care of your mom for me?" Hayate wagged his tail and gave Roy a goofy grin. "Good boy."

He turned to Riza, who wore a tiny smile as she watched Roy and her dog interact. He stepped to her and enveloped her in a hug, which she gladly accepted. Roy buried his face in her hair, breathing in her lavender scent. He lifted his head after a moment and then lowered it to find her lips. Riza tightened her grip on him as they kissed. After a moment they broke apart.

"I feel much better now," Roy sighed as he put his forehead to hers.

"Oh? Maybe I should send you home." He pulled his head away, panic in his dark eyes.

"No!" She laughed. "Gullible," she responded and poked him in the chest before extracting herself from his arms. Riza tilted her head to the bedroom.

"Coming?" Roy nodded.

"Definitely."

They walked to the adjacent room, Roy pulling off his shoes and setting them to the side of her bed. It was still unkempt from where she had been sleeping barely 20 minutes ago. Roy then removed his shirt and pants and got into bed, while Riza crawled in on the other side, finally resting her head on his chest as his arms encircled her. He planted a kiss on her crown.

"Roy?"

"Mmm?" Riza paused for a moment.

"What were you dreaming about?" Roy hadn't expected her to ask that, but he realized he must have truly worried her. He sighed.

"I dreamed of losing you, of a couple of the times it almost truly happened. The first, when you nearly drowned when we were kids and then the most recent on The Promised Day when you practically bled out in my arms."

Riza lifted one of his hands and put it on her neck. "All better, see?" Roy smiled. "Remember that. I'm okay."

"I see. I like holding you like this much more." She let go of his hand, snuggling back into his arms properly. But he remembered what she said over the phone, and now he was curious.

"You said you were having some bad dreams, too. Do you want to talk about it?" Roy felt her hand wrap around his own and he squeezed it gently. It took her a moment before she answered, and when she did her voice was thick.

"I was running. I couldn't find you. I ran through headquarters, through East City, the streets of Central, Ishval, my father's old house. I even ran through Briggs. I was screaming your name, and running as fast as I could. Last thing I remember was running through the underground tunnels, everything was dark except for flashes of light and fire in the distance and I kept screaming for you but you didn't answer me. Then the phone rang. And there you were."

Roy tightened his grip around her with one arm and lifted her chin with the other hand, so he could look into her amber eyes.

"I promise you - If you ever scream for me, I WILL answer. I swear. And I'll always be right here where you can find me." Riza smiled gently, small but honest.

"I'll hold you to that."

"See that you do." Riza nestled into his arms once more, her head rising and falling as Roy breathed in and out. This was what he needed to banish the bad memories, the bad dreams. All of that was in the past. It was the future that was the most important. And a future with Riza Hawkeye at his side was the best dream he could imagine.

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